I first heard of Naomi Klein a couple of years ago when I viewed the documentary The Corporation. I don't recall Cornel West making an appearance, but Noam Chomsky does. I quickly took a look at her book No Logo, and found her observations keen, insights illuminating, and analysis precise and exact.
She's back now with a wonderful book, The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism. Downright amazing, and shockingly disturbing. Globalization isn't a vastly interconnected march to progress, opportunity, and wealth--unless you are able to pay for it--it is a road with complexities, obstacles, contradictions, and bewildering stories.
Spend some time with this one. We can all try to think a little more clearly. Check out a short video on the book here.
Leave us your thoughts and reflections.
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12 comments:
I thought The Shock Doctrine Short Film was really disturbing. I have never heard that prisoners were shocked into a child like state in order to spill information. It was interesting to see the connection between the massacres in China with the terrorist attacks in the U.S. and with other wars. I think Naomi Klein is right in saying that information is the key to overcoming shock. –Meagan Smith
I thought the doctine was interesting because I never realized that you can change an entire society following a disaster. You can take advantage of people when they are in a state of shock; you wont have objections to the rules you want to impose because the people are not thinking clearly. I never had made the comparison between shocking people in prison and people experiencing a state of shock after a natural disaster; so it was interesting to relate the two.
hmm...I am not exactly sure what to think. I believe that, yes, the government does tend to make the extremist decisions, the ones that would typically be challenged, while we are in a state of shock. But who says that these leaders are not in the same state of shock? Could they not be simply trying to remedy the chaos of a nation in shock? Maybe I am giving them to much credit, but this Shock Doctrine seems like a conspiracy thepry. And while I do not always support every decision made by the government, I feel that we are all working towards a common goal. No one is trying to put us in a worse state than we currently are (their actions may lead to that, but it's not the goal). Just my thoughts, though...
I find this all very disturbing too...reading and watching this, I'm not shocked but it's kind of now just out there...It's interesting to see that this shock doctrine has happened so many times throughout recent history. Also, yes Hailie, the government and leaders are also in shock, and yes they work for a common goal, but this is revealing how sometimes working for the "greater good" usually ends up with something being sold to the highest bidder. I think a lot of this is a lot more calculated than we perceive.
My thoughts on the little film are that this is extremely unsettling. If what she says is really true and she hasn't manipulated the information to support her thesis, then many policies passed only exemplify the duplicity of government.
- Caroline Dinges
I agree with Caroline's observation that Naomi Klein's thesis is somewhat disturbing; however, it would be naive, after everything we've discussed in class, to simple assume that she has no bias or motivation for writing The Shock Doctrine. I'd like to learn more about Naomi Klein's background and beliefs before judging her work.
While I don't discount all of the information presented in The Shock Doctrine, like Chris and Caroline, I am hesitant to accept all of the facts reflected in her thesis as utter truth. Having had seen all of Alfonso Cuaron's films, I acan identify the filmmaker's bias and motive for producing the work, and am therefore obligated to examine both sides of the story before passing a judgement or making a critique.
I find the images of the film disturbing just like the rest of my classmates, but I cite this disturbing feeling as a token of good filmmaking as much as it is a display of disturbing information. Just like with all politics, parts are true and parts are false. Alfonso Cuaron is a wonderful filmmaker and proves great in getting his desired effect across, as can be noted by the responses of my fellow classmates. Filmmaking aside, the ideas are also very disturbing but I cannot accept them completely at face-value. That being said, I do not know why I decided to look at the blog at this particular time, and I am quite tired. Interesante.
I usually like everything Naomi Klein does, but I haven't read the Shock Doctrine and it seems the short video has more style than substance.
Governments have always, throughout history, used fear to implement policy, and ours is no different. This idea of a "common goal" based on love is completely ludicrous and naive.
John, I'm not sure I explained clearly the "commmon goal" I addressed earlier. I was not saying at all that everyone is working towards 'world peace,' so to speak, but rather self-promotion. A business owner in New Oreans is going to do everything he can to restore southern Louisiana from Katrina, not to help mankind, but to get his business running again, which, in turn, helps mankind.
I have a hard time believing that governmental authorities are plotting to stun us with all of these new policies once some sort of disaster (whether natural or planned) strikes. I don't believe that Americans are that ignorant; I could be the ignorant one though. Our leaders try to handle disasters in such a manner that America will never lose it's image of perfection and idealism. America want to remain number one on a global standpoint and that's not going to last much longer. Maybe I am being too idealistic . . .
I said "if she hasnt". Just to clarify
-caroline dinges
I've decided i really need to edit my posts before I 'publish' as they are loaded with typos. And that's just embarassing.
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